BuLLER. — On the Ornithology of Neiv Zealand. 203 



Eudjrptes antipodum, Homb. and Jacq. (Yellow-crowued 

 Penguin.) 



There is a distinct tendency in this species to melanism. 

 I had an opportunity of examining eleven specimens that were 

 taken together, in a sort of breeding colony, on the Otago 

 coast, near the Heads, last year. Several of them had 

 scattered black feathers among the pure-white plumage of 

 the under-parts, and in one of them I counted as many as 

 nine jet-black feathers. 



Apteryx haasti, Potts. (Haast's Kiwi.) 



I have in my possession some interesting notes supplied to 

 me by a collector who went to the West Coast some years ago 

 specially in quest of this rare species. I have hitherto re- 

 frained from publishing these notes, from a desire to protect 

 this Kiwi from the professional bird-hunter ; although I fear 

 such precautions are of little avail now against the inroad into 

 our fair country, through official instrumentality, of stoats, 

 weasels, and polecats. The last intelligence concerning the 

 spread of these destructive animals is contained in a letter 

 lately received by me from Mr. H. C. Field, C.E., of Wanga- 

 nui (dated 9th December). He says, " My son Charles — who 

 for several years past has been laying off and constructing 

 roads for the Government in the country between the Tonga- 

 riro Eange and the Upper Wanganui — informs me that the 

 weasels have become extremely numerous in the region where 

 he has been working, and are destroying the Wood-pigeons 

 wholesale. He says that, as those birds roost low down, 

 among scrubby bush, the weasels climb up and attack them. 

 He says that in walking through the bush he has constantly 

 come across the remains of pigeons lying on the ground, and 

 that, on examining those freshly killed, he found in every case 

 that they had been bitten in the neck, so that the blood might 

 be sucked out, after which the body was left. This pretty 

 clearly indicates weasel's work. He tells me that, inconse- 

 quence of this, the number of pigeons in that region has very 

 perceptibly decreased during the last two or three years, and 

 he believes that in a very few years more the birds will be ex- 

 tinct thereabouts. He thinks the weasels have come from the 

 Auckland side, as he has heard that some were turned out in 

 the Waikato for the purpose of destroying the rabbits. I am 

 sure my son's information about the killing of the pigeons may 

 be thoroughly relied on. No doubt other birds are being 

 destroyed also ; but the larger size and more conspicuous 

 colour of the pigeon renders their remains more noticeable." 

 If perching birds suffer to this extent, how must it fare witli 

 Kakapos, Kiwis, and Woodhens ? That all these flightless 



